Backgrounder

New gender quota in House is a victory of sorts

The latest Constitutional Court (MK) ruling ordering the House of Representatives to ensure a minimum of 30 percent women representation in all its internal bodies sounds progressive, but implementing it could be a challenge when women make up only 22 percent of all 580 House members.

Telkom loses 1.4 GHz BWA to Hashim, Sinar Mas firms

State-owned telecommunications giant PT Telkom Indonesia has faced tough competition in the bidding for BWA rights on the 1.4 GHz frequency spectrum. The government intends to use this frequency to deliver fast and affordable household internet—targeting 20 million homes with minimum speeds of 100 Mbps and monthly fees of around Rp100,000. Telkom lost bids in all three regions across Indonesia, with the winners being companies affiliated with President Prabowo Subianto's brother, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, and the Sinar Mas Group conglomerate.

Edition

October 31, 2025

Timor-Leste joins the ASEAN club, with Prabowo’s signature

Timor-Leste formally joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the group's summit in Kuala Lumpur, after a long wait, thanks in no small measure to the tireless support of Indonesia, which once brutally occupied the tiny territory.

Regulating thrift, reviving industry

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa is turning his attention to Indonesia's booming illegal thrift trade, an enduring challenge that persists despite years of government crackdowns. Thrifting is deeply rooted in Indonesian culture, not only as a fashion statement but also as a way for many to make ends meet. Yet, Purbaya's latest move signals a renewed determination to protect the domestic textile and garment industry, which continues to struggle against a flood of cheap, second-hand clothing imports.

Edition

October 24, 2025

Prabowo moves from sharing to consolidating power

President Prabowo Subianto spent much of the first year since his October 2024 inauguration trying to fulfill his campaign promises, but he has also been quietly consolidating power over his political detractors, with a little help from his Army friends.

Pertamina corruption case expands, private sector dragged

Several private companies, including Garibaldi "Boy" Thohir's Adaro Energy, have been dragged into the spotlight after prosecutors charged PT Pertamina and its subsidiary, PT Pertamina Patra Niaga (PPN), with corruption that allegedly cost the state trillions of rupiah. The case centers on the underpricing of unsubsidized Solar and Biosolar — Pertamina's diesel and biodiesel fuel brands — sold to numerous private sector buyers.

Edition

October 17, 2025

Indonesia-Israel ties not in the cards for now

President Prabowo Subianto may have raised Indonesia's diplomatic profile in the Middle East, but going by public sentiments, opening diplomatic ties with Israel is not in the cards. The war in Gaza has made that prospect even more remote.

‘3 million homes’ program in limbo after losing PSN status

Faith in the implementation of President Prabowo Subianto's flagship 3 Million Homes Program has waned after it was recently excluded from the list of PSN outlined under the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Regulation No. 16/2025. The setback comes amid the annulment of the 2016 Tapera Law, which was expected to serve as a cornerstone of the government's affordable housing drive by providing a sustainable funding source for the FLPP mortgage subsidy scheme.